Leaping Adelie

Gallery: AvianPosted May 28, 2014421 views5 comments

One of the landing spots during my trip to the Antarctic last November with the Joe Van Os Safaris took us to a colony of Adelie Penguins. These are a little smaller than other penguin species, and stand about 2' in height. The white ring around the eyes is diagnostic. It is quite amazing how they manage to land on slippery ice, and jump from one icy block to the next.
Species: Adelie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae)
Location: Antarctica peninsula
Date: November, 2013
Equip: Canon 5D Mlll, Canon 300 f2.8
Specs: ISO 800, f5.6, 1/5000s, Eval metering, +0.33 exp comp, Aperture priority, Gitzo tripod, Wimberley head

Thank you for taking the time out to look, and for your comments/critiques.

Comments

5 comments

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on May 28, 2014 at 11:51 AM

Adelies were my favorite penguin when I was there in 2012; always so neat and business-like. But – and this is likely a matter of personal taste – for me your photo doesn't quite work. The pose you've captured is just a bit awkward, which is unfortunate because these are elegant little birds. And I'd back off the sharpening just a bit; there's a noticeably halo around the left neck and head of the bird. I've like your other Antarctic posts, but this one doesn't quite work.

Registered on August 28, 2006, 1240 Posts, 8506 Comments

Comment posted by Barb Pflaum on May 28, 2014 at 3:08 PM

Very cool image! I love the jumping pose! It may be a little oversharpened.

Registered on January 14, 2009, 316 Posts, 2724 Comments

Comment posted by Ajit Huilgol on May 30, 2014 at 1:31 AM

I agree, Jim, about Adelies being very elegant, and I have tons of images showing them that way, but here I wanted to show a comical Adelie! Guess I should have captioned (marketed!

) this better. Maybe: "Wheeeee! Adelieeeeee!" I agree with your comments about the halo around the neck. Should have been more careful.

Registered on December 19, 2008, 302 Posts, 2055 Comments

Comment posted by Charlie VanTassel on May 30, 2014 at 11:06 AM

This really is a pretty cool shot. It's a little hard to tell whether he is midair or is standing on the ice. Still, a bird I would just love to see one day. Techs look right on to me.

Registered on October 18, 2006, 644 Posts, 4801 Comments

Comment posted by Patrick O'Healy on May 31, 2014 at 1:55 PM

I like the shot. Suggest you crop with more space on the left so he has space to jump into

Registered on March 13, 2011, 326 Posts, 1679 Comments